WALL COVERINGS
WALL COVERINGS
Today I would like to talk about different wall coverings materials and show it through examples of famous Interior Designers work.
PAINT
Let’s start with the classic paint. You can use various colours and shades to change the visual perception of the room. There are some tricks you can try; for example, to make the room with a high ceiling look lower, paint the walls in darker shades than the ceiling. Room with the lower ceiling; paint walls in lighter shades. There are different kinds of finishes and it's important to pick up the right one.
Matt Paints, the most common one with no shine finish. It's easy to apply however also easy to damage; it requires regular retouching. Matt Emanel is much more durable comparing to matte paint. very easy to clean and usually retouching is not required. Its recommended for such areas as a kitchen or a playroom. Satin paint with the finish between gloss and matte, soft sheen. Eggshell finish with a subtle shine. It covers quite well with one coat, easy to apply (Eggshell semi-gloss better product performance than the matte paints) Water-based paints are much more popular than oil paints due to the cost these days; also they are environmentally friendly. Latex paints are a kind of oil paints that can be thinned with water or turpentine. Excellent quality too and washable. One of my favourite suppliers is Little Greene company. They have a fantastic, large colour selection. Also, it's easy to order samples, they send you a little jar with the selected colour, you can try it before you make up your mind. Absolutely best activity for Saturday morning!
And an example (image above) of how you can brighten up the room with simple paint. Kerry Joyce's project, a designer based in LA, I absolutely adore his work. The master bedroom, a lovely mellow, sophisticated effect achieved with a wall painted in this apricot colour.
GLASS
Glass walls are great design solutions. Glass is being used a lot in modern design and architecture. There are lots of different types of glass; clear, textured or stained. The textured glass partition is a great solution for the spaces as it's less translucent. At the same time, it lets lots of natural daylight come through. Kuci Designs, definitely worth checking, they offer a wide selection of glasses from textured to plain (example image on the left).
The picture on the left, beautiful, textured and coloured stain glass, Sam’s Pawnbrokers Restaurant transformation in Detroit Large sections of stained glass make a decorative counterpoint to plain tiles flooring
( credits: Rob Wilkes 2015)
This amazing design work of Brian J McCarthy (picture above) with the use of the mirrored glass (image on the right), gives this eclectic space a very sophisticated feel. Living-room look bigger and very elegant. Painting in the gold frame creates great contracts.
WALLPAPER
One of my favourite types of wall coverings are wallpapers. You can eternally change the interior; wallpaper complements every space. There is a wide variety of designs available; contemporary, geometric, flowery patterns, murals, kids design. These days wallpapers offer lots of good qualities as a protective coating. Hand-painted versions are more expensive and unique.
In general, wallpapers are made in much better durability and quality these days, also eco-friendly and even water resistant! A great choice for the cracked walls too. Nothing can stop you here, endless designs ideas when using the wallpaper. Tricks; you can also make a small room look a bit bigger if you choose small scale design wallpaper. And vice versa..
Design by Kate Wearstler (above) beautiful gold wallpaper makes this simple sideboard look super special.
An image on the rights shows Mathew Williamson project, a very flowery wallpaper, one of Mathew's signature designs. The beautiful pattern looks stunning combined together with geometric floor tiles. Blue, pink and white flowers on the side tables complement the look.
TILES
We cant skip tiles when looking at wall coverings; there are millions of possibilities here, different kinds of tiles from ceramic to glass. Tiles are much easier to maintain than wallpaper and paint, perfect for bathrooms and kitchens but not only. Again here we have a huge choice of colours, finishes and textures. They are moisture and odour resistant as they don’t absorb the smell, in general, best hygienic and clean alternative, also stain and fireproof.
And here I have to mention mosaic. There are such beautiful patterns, just amazing choice for the bathrooms, splash-back and not only. Recommended for small spaces and outdoors. By using mosaic you can create beautiful designs to enhance any space with a sense of lavish luxury.
On the rights amazing work of Michael Wanders; beautiful mosaic, all in black and white tones, very sophisticated.
My favourite source of tiles and mosaic is Fired Earth, (photos below, beautiful mosaic and Boho Soho and Beungarli tiles)
BRICK
Brick walls are one of my favourites. You can’t go wrong with that; those materials add character to any interior. I recommend brick slips… cost-effective, easy to install and to take care of. Brick looks amazing when combined with glass and concrete. Perfect for the modern style design but not only. I like Brick Slips company; the amazing choice of different patterns and colour schemes is wide (samples below)
On the right, Tom Howley's design, industrial look of the kitchen, nice mix of different materials as brick, glass and concrete.
PANELING
Let's finish the summary with the panelling option. I find it very sophisticated and special.
You can transform any space with these materials, there are many fabulous and inspiring styles of wood panelling. You can achieve cosy characters and the period atmosphere very easily. I would recommend them for bigger spaces and not with the high moisture level.
In case you would like to use it and apply it in the bathroom,.. why not to go for marble panelling, (pictures below / credits: on the left: Blog Spot, on the right: Steven Volpe Design, amazing Piede a Terrein Paris)
Endless options and possibilities when it comes to wall coverings; madness ...
Share your toughs and do let me know if you need any advice regarding suppliers, installation and what to choose for your next design project.
